The New WCHA (2013-14)

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Lets say the league goes to a best of three playoff series all the way through, three rounds (number 9 left out). You could have a team playing a possible 47 games in one season and that is before making the NCAA tournament.

Two trips to Alaska to get four extra games on the schedule, 38 games in the regular season.

Three best of three series that go the full three games, 9 games.

Add in four possible NCAA games, that would run the total to 51 if a nWCHA team made it all the way to the Championship game!

A selling point for recruits or not? Hmmmm.......

It sounds like a good way to have a run-down and tired team come time for the NCAA's.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

There is that, but I wonder if the NCAA would even allow the possibility of a team playing that many games, given the existing hard cap on regular season games. In fact, I doubt they would. Heck, the double-dip Alaska exemption is bound to be under scrutiny at some point.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

It sounds like a good way to have a run-down and tired team come time for the NCAA's.

I was thinking the same thing, but thought I might get blasted if I threw that in there....... The whole "these are 20-22 year olds, they can recover" arguement.....

I would think the NCAA might have a problem with the possibility of a 51 game season.

[MavHockey14]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

the no tourney playoff system would be a huge success.

[4four4]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

It's going to be like the ECAC. 1-2 teams per year make the dance, meaning OOC wins will be huge.

I also like the idea of NHL-style playoffs. I think it's the only way you can guarantee at least some attendance for every playoff game.

I disagree. I believe the nWCHA will be getting two or three schools for the big dance.

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I have an easy way to allow for a best of three tourney format. Cut down the conference games to 24. At 24, the eight non-conference games would bump you up to 32 games played (34 with two trips to Alaska). Potential nine-game playoffs (Best of three NHL/OHL style?) gives you 38 to 41 games played before the NCAA's. (Potentially up to 43 with two AK trips)

Oh, and making the ninth place team sit out of the playoffs is good motivation to not finish ninth.


Four NCAA Tournament games gives you from 42 to 47 total games. Here are the number of games each pair of Championship teams played. Winner marked with *.
2011 - tUMD (42)* v Michigan (44)
2010 - BC (42)* v Wisconsin (43)
2009 - BU (45)* v Miami (41)
2008 - BC (42)* v Notre Dame (47)
2007 - MSU (42)* v BC (42)
2006 - Wisconsin (43)* v BC (42)
2005 - DU (43)* v UND (45)
2004 - DU (44)* v Maine (42)
2003 - Minnesota (45)* v UNH (42)
2002 - Minnesota (44)* v Maine (44)
2001 - BC (43)* v UND (46)
2000 - UND (44)* v BC (42)

Of note: for the sample taken, five out of twelve were won by teams with less games played. Five out of twelve were won by teams with more games played. And two games had equal games played.

Most games played was the 2008 Notre Dame team with 47. They had a trip TO Alaska to give them 36 games. And I can only assume the Lefty McFadden tourney was exempted, because they played TEN non-conference games. Putting them at 38 games played BEFORE the CCHA Tournament. Due to the new CCHA rules, Notre Dame received a bye weekend for the first round, playing all three games of the CCHA Quarter-finals versus Ferris State. Now up to 41 on the season heading into JLA weekend. Two games at JLA (loss to Miami in Semi's, loss to NMU in third place game) up to 43, and then four NCAA tournament games gave them their 47 games. What's interesting is that had they fallen just one place back to fifth, they would have had to have played two, possibly three more games moving them to 49 or 50 games on the season.

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I have an easy way to allow for a best of three tourney format. Cut down the conference games to 24. At 24, the eight non-conference games would bump you up to 32 games played (34 with two trips to Alaska). Potential nine-game playoffs (Best of three NHL/OHL style?) gives you 38 to 41 games played before the NCAA's. (Potentially up to 43 with two AK trips)

Oh, and making the ninth place team sit out of the playoffs is good motivation to not finish ninth.


Four NCAA Tournament games gives you from 42 to 47 total games. Here are the number of games each pair of Championship teams played. Winner marked with *.
2011 - tUMD (42)* v Michigan (44)
2010 - BC (42)* v Wisconsin (43)
2009 - BU (45)* v Miami (41)
2008 - BC (42)* v Notre Dame (47)
2007 - MSU (42)* v BC (42)
2006 - Wisconsin (43)* v BC (42)
2005 - DU (43)* v UND (45)
2004 - DU (44)* v Maine (42)
2003 - Minnesota (45)* v UNH (42)
2002 - Minnesota (44)* v Maine (44)
2001 - BC (43)* v UND (46)
2000 - UND (44)* v BC (42)

Of note: for the sample taken, five out of twelve were won by teams with less games played. Five out of twelve were won by teams with more games played. And two games had equal games played.

Most games played was the 2008 Notre Dame team with 47. They had a trip TO Alaska to give them 36 games. And I can only assume the Lefty McFadden tourney was exempted, because they played TEN non-conference games. Putting them at 38 games played BEFORE the CCHA Tournament. Due to the new CCHA rules, Notre Dame received a bye weekend for the first round, playing all three games of the CCHA Quarter-finals versus Ferris State. Now up to 41 on the season heading into JLA weekend. Two games at JLA (loss to Miami in Semi's, loss to NMU in third place game) up to 43, and then four NCAA tournament games gave them their 47 games. What's interesting is that had they fallen just one place back to fifth, they would have had to have played two, possibly three more games moving them to 49 or 50 games on the season.

Why would a team deprive itself of 4 regular season games from the 36-38 they will be able to play? The equates to a loss of revenue.

[bronconick]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I disagree. I believe the nWCHA will be getting two or three schools for the big dance.

This. The Pairwise as constructed would require total domination by a conference to get more than more than half their teams in, meaning there will be bids left behind by the Big Ten and NCHC available.

The CCHA's relative strength this season got them 3 solid bids, two 4 seeds that didn't clinch until the final day and 3 of the 4 "next teams out". 8 of the top 20. Not bad. Too bad 5 were in the 13-20 range.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

This. The Pairwise as constructed would require total domination by a conference to get more than more than half their teams in, meaning there will be bids left behind by the Big Ten and NCHC available.

Agreed. I think the bid breakout will look like this on average...

Hockey East: 3 bids
B1G - 3 bids
NCHC - 3 bids
ECAC - 2 bids
nWCHA - 2 bids
AHA - 1 bid

That leaves 2 bids to be fought for between HE, B1G, NCHC, ECAC, and nWCHA. Obviously there will be years where a strong nWCHA might capture 4 bids, while a weak NCHC/B1G may only capture 2, but I would guess that if we look at the first 10 years following conference realignment (assuming the conferences stay largely the same...a big assumption) that the averages will play out fairly closely with what I have above.

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Agreed. I think the bid breakout will look like this on average...

Hockey East: 3 bids
B1G - 3 bids
NCHC - 3 bids
ECAC - 2 bids
nWCHA - 2 bids
AHA - 1 bid

That leaves 2 bids to be fought for between HE, B1G, NCHC, ECAC, and nWCHA. Obviously there will be years where a strong nWCHA might capture 4 bids, while a weak NCHC/B1G may only capture 2, but I would guess that if we look at the first 10 years following conference realignment (assuming the conferences stay largely the same...a big assumption) that the averages will play out fairly closely with what I have above.

Give yourself +/- 1 on each conference and you are in virtual certainty range.

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Why would a team deprive itself of 4 regular season games from the 36-38 they will be able to play? The equates to a loss of revenue.

Why? Because the fellow posters here want to hold an NHL style playoff. While they're at it, they want to Championship series to be played in St. John's, Newfoundland, because blue-blooded, hockey loving Canadians will show up en-masse for the awarding of such a prestigious trophy like the MacNaughton Cup to the winner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference championship.


At least I TRIED to make sense of what people are spouting off, and how it COULD be made possible.


While I'm at it, let's have the shootout in the New WCHA too, eh? Regular season games only though. Sudden death 20 minute OT's for playoff games.

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Why? Because the fellow posters here want to hold an NHL style playoff. While they're at it, they want to Championship series to be played in St. John's, Newfoundland, because blue-blooded, hockey loving Canadians will show up en-masse for the awarding of such a prestigious trophy like the MacNaughton Cup to the winner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference championship.


At least I TRIED to make sense of what people are spouting off, and how it COULD be made possible.


While I'm at it, let's have the shootout in the New WCHA too, eh? Regular season games only though. Sudden death 20 minute OT's for playoff games.

Actually they've decided to play the final in Mystery, Alaska. Fairbanks and Anchorage will rotate as hosts!

[MavsFan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Actually they've decided to play the final in Mystery, Alaska. Fairbanks and Anchorage will rotate as hosts!

Cool! Which team gets to wear these:

*****http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRIABYhYUBjidCuhNQpztqhusKI9GV2j U93oZASUmDC_Vqlbb0E******

[gfmorris]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

How many playoff games are AHA teams playing these days? I know they're playing three-game weekenders at minimum to start.

GFM

[huskyfan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

two weekends of three gamers then a weekend of one and dones. top 2 (?) get a bye in the first round